Smark Out Moment

Welcome to another edition of Battle of the Brands from Smark Out Moment, where we compare this week's episodes of Raw and SmackDown and determine which one of the two was the better show.

BATTLE OF THE BRANDS:

RAW vs. SMACKDOWN

FACTOR 1: MATCHES

Raw = It was a mixed bag of matches this week on Raw, however the standout performance was the 2 out of 3 falls match between Andrade and Rey Mysterio. These 2 wrestlers have impeccable chemistry together, and it is always a delight to watch them perform. Andrade looked dominant, and this sets him up well for the King of the Ring tournament next week.

Unfortunately, the Ricochet vs Elias match was extremely poor and clunky, and despite Ricochet winning, it was not the victory he needed to re-establish himself as a force on Raw. However, Drew McIntyre vs Cedric Alexander was a great match which served both men well. McIntyre came across as the dominant force he has shown himself to be over the past few months, whilst Alexander was able to demonstrate how talented he is, and that he is able to hang with the big boys.

I feel I need to highlight how important it is for the Women’s Tag Team Championships to be competed for on a regular basis, and through Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross, these titles are finally starting to feel important. Their match vs The Kabuki Warriors was perfectly serviceable, and it is through being featured on a regular basis that these matches start to feel important. Overall, the matches on Raw delivered, even if some of them were slightly disappointing.

SmackDown = The matches on SmackDown were of a consistently high quality, with Roman Reigns vs Buddy Murphy the highlight of the night. Murphy came across as a real star by hanging with Reigns, showing just why he considers himself SmackDown's best kept secret.

The main event was also a great match, with the team of Randy Orton and The Revival defeating The New Day. This impromptu team is intriguing, and I like the idea of them forming a stable to battle The New Day. Everyone in this match had an opportunity to shine.

Overall, the matches on SmackDown were a notch above Raw, with higher quality wrestling on show. The only disappointment was Kevin Owens losing to Samoa Joe so soon after defeating Shane McMahon, however the match itself was good.

WINNER: SmackDown

FACTOR 2: PROMOS

Raw = Raw was low on promos this week, however the opening promo from Seth Rollins was a quality face promo, one that was better received than last week’s effort. AJ Styles interrupted him, which led to a challenge in the main event of the show. This was set out well, setting the stage for a potential feud between the pair.

SmackDown = SmackDown was also low on promos this week, however the Aleister Black promo was short and sweet, focusing on who has a debt to pay. Black excels in this kind of promo, and his language at all times is nothing short of amazing.

Kevin Owens provided the best promo of the night at the beginning of the show, which is no real surprise as Owens has been killing it on the microphone for a number of years now. Owens has the ability to capture the attention of the audience and make them believe in every word he says. I enjoyed his promo here, even if he is still linked with Shane McMahon.

WINNER: SmackDown

FACTOR 3: STORYLINES

Raw = Sasha Banks returned from her post WrestleMania hiatus, and she was immediately greeted with a raucous reception from the fans. Not only did Banks take out Natalya, but she also managed to dismantle Becky Lynch, seemingly positioning herself as Lynch’s next opponent. Already this storyline feels much more interesting to anything Lynch has done since she became Raw Women’s Champion, and I can only sit and wait in excitement to see how this storyline will play out.

The rest of the show had little storyline progression, however The OC continue to be heavily featured, with AJ Styles facing off against Seth Rollins in the main event. Once the remaining OC members started to attack Rollins, Braun Strowman arrived to clean house take and out Styles, whilst handing Rollins the Universal Championship and shaking hands. This potentially sets up a triple threat match between Rollins, Styles and Strowman, however it is too early to tell if this is the concrete direction they will be moving in, especially as it could develop into a battle between The OC and a team handpicked by Rollins.

SmackDown = The feud between Kevin Owens and Shane McMahon continues, much to the chagrin of the audience. This storyline has failed to inspire the imagination, which means more matches will result in fans turning off. Owens deserves so much better than to be saddled with McMahon.

Kofi Kingston and Randy Orton are continuing their feud, however with the injection of The Revival, this storyline is potentially taking an interesting new direction. If Orton and The Revival form an official stable, we could see the return of the dominant Orton from the days of The Legacy, which is honestly a tantalising prospect.

WINNER: Raw

FACTOR 4: SCHEDULING / PACING

Raw = Unlike most Raw efforts, this week was well paced. Yes, you still notice the 3 hour run time, however the show feels more coherent than it has in a long time. Storylines are logically advanced, and most segments feel like they are booked correctly. I really appreciate how easy Raw was to watch this week.

SmackDown = SmackDown was just as easy to watch this week, and with so many quality matches on offer it was also easier to watch than Raw. Each match was broken up by a logical segment, with no aspect of the show looking out of place. Both shows have been easy to watch this week, however SmackDown just about edges it.

WINNER: SmackDown

EXTRA CREDIT BONUS ROUND!!!

Raw gains points for the highly effective way in which Sasha Banks returned. The fans responded in the best possible way as she established herself as perhaps the top heel in the Raw women’s division. The manner in which she took out both Natalya and Becky Lynch was memorable to say the least.

Raw also gets a point for the King of the Ring announcement. There seems to be a buzz about who could potentially win the entire tournament, and by announcing it on Raw, the tournament became breaking news that wouldn’t be overshadowed by other matches had the announcement been 24 hours earlier. The tournament has historically built new stars, and the hope is high that this tournament can replicate that.

Raw loses points for sacrificing the match between Lucha House Party and The Revival for the 24/7 Championship shenanigans. Neither team deserved to have the importance of their match overshadowed.

SmackDown gains points for the manner in which Daniel Bryan and Rowan intimidated Buddy Murphy into saying it wasn't them who had attempted to injure Roman Reigns. The storyline may not be the most interesting, but this was a particular highlight this week.

SmackDown loses no points as there was genuinely nothing of note that deserved to have points removed. Everyone worked hard to produce a quality show, with this week's effort one of the best in a while.

POINT ADJUSTMENTS: Raw (+2 / -1) / SmackDown (+1 / -0)


With a score of 4-2, SmackDown wins this week. Both shows were easy to watch, with quality matches on show and subtle storyline advancements. However, SmackDown did everything just a little bit better this week. I hope that this strong run of shows continues as we move towards Clash of Champions.